Tool.



J. W. FERGUSON.

TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12, 1916.

1 2% M7. Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

16 J. W. FERGUSON JAMES W. FERGUSON, OF JACOBS CREEK, PENNSYLVANIA.

TOOL.

eeann.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

Application filed April 12, 1916. Serial No. 90,709.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES FERGUSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jacobs Creek, .in the county of lVestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, hate invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tools, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved tool and more particularly to a tool for repairing anti-skid chains for wheel tires.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a. simply constructed and durable tool whereby the hooks on the ends of the transverse tread chains may be readily connected to or disconnected from the links of the side chains.

It is another object of the invention to provide a tool for the above purpose, embodying means whereby the link will be securely held against shifting movement when the bills of the hooked terminals of the link are closed.

Another important-object of the invention is to provide means upon the tool which will insure the bending or closing of the hooks to the same extent with a consequent equal straining pressure upon the links of the side chain.

It is an additional general object of the invention to provide a tool of novel construction, whereby tire chains may be easily and quickly repaired without necessitating the complete removal of the chains from the wheel.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying' drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the preferred embodiment of my improved tool; Fig. 2 is an end elevation showing the manner in which the hooked terminals of the tread chains are opened for removal or disconnection from the side chains; Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the application of the tool in the closing or clenching of the tread chain hooks; Fig. is a detail longitudinal section of the tool; and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the tool jaws.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 and 6 designate the two handle members, each of which is formed on one end with a flat, relatively wide, laterally curved portion 7. These curved portions of the handle members are arranged upon each other in intersecting relation and are provided with co edge with the shallow notches or recesses 13.

The inner face of the finger 12 which is opposed to this extension of the jaw, is beveled or inclined inwardly, as at 14, from the point or apex of said finger to the lug 11. The jaw 10 of the other handle member 6 is also provided upon one side thereof, at its outer end, with a laterally projecting lug 15 which is opposed to the lug 11 on the other jaw, and this lug 15 likewise terminates in an angularly projecting, tapering finger 16,

the inner face of which is disposed in parallel relation to the outer face of the finger 12 and the outer face of said finger 16 being beveled or inc-lined, as at 17. This finger 16 is disposed outwardly of the plane of the finger 12, and in the face of the lug 15, at the base of the finger thereon, a socket 18 is formed to receive the point or apex of the other finger 12. In the inner face of the jaw 10, parallel grooves or channels 19 are formed which are opposed to the notches or recesses 13 in the jaw 9. The jaws 9 and 10 are further provided upon their confronting faces with the tongues or flanges '20, the

'in parallel relation.

for wheel tires. The handles 5 and 6 are spread apart to open the aws 9 and 10 and the fingers 12 and 16 on the ends of said jaws are engaged in the eyes formed by the hooked ends of the terminal links indicated at T on the tread chains of the anti-skidding device. The handles 5 and (S are then forced together so that the tapering fingers 12 and 16 will project inwardly toward each other through the bent or hooked ends of the link. These hooked ends of the link are thus forced outwardly and the hooks opened to a suflicient extent to enable the same to be readily disconnected from the link of the side chain indicated at S.

In attaching the tread chains to the side chain links and clenching the terminals of the tread chains, the tool is applied as seen in ,Fig. 3. The jaw 10 is engaged under the side chain link and against the parallel portions of the terminal link of the tread chain which are received in the grooves or channels 19 of said jaw. The bills of the hooked ends of the link are received in the notches or recesses 13 on the other jaw 10, while the flanges 20 engage against the ends of the hooks. It will now be apparent that, by forcing thejaws to their closed positions, the jaw 10 will be brought down with considerable pressu're upon the hook bills so that they are bent over upon the side portions of the chain link and the hooks thus closed. In this operation, either of the fingers 12 or 16 may project through the terminal link T of the tread chainv to assist in holding said link against any shifting movement with respect to the side chain during the clenching or closing of the hooked terminals of the link. It will be apparent that, by the pro vision of the grooves or channels 19 in the inner face of the jaw 10 to receive the hook bills, the jaw may exert its pressure upon the hook bills at different times, in case'the hooks have been distorted, and by the final pressure of the jaw upon the hook bills before the removal of the tool, the said hook bills will be bent or clenched upon the ends of the link to the same extent and will lie Thus, there will also be equal strain on the side chain link by the pull of the hooked terminal links of the tread chains. On the opposite end of the handle member 6, upon the inner edge thereof, a small hook, indicated at 21, is formed and is adapted to be employed for the purpose of opening the fastening connection between the ends of the side chains. This end of the handle member is beveled upon opposite sides and terminates in a sharp edge to constitute a screw driver 22 which may also be conveniently employed for removing the mud or dirt which has accumulated in the hooked terminals of the treadchains. The end of the other handle member 5 is provided with an inwardly projecting cold chisel :23 to cut heavy chain links and may also be employed for various other analogous purposes.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, manner of operation and several advantages of the device will be clearly and fully understood. Automobile drivers are frequently annoyed by the tread chains breaking and the free ends of these chains striking against the fenders of the vehicle. These broken tread chains also reduce the tractive effort of the wheel and allow the wheels to slip or skid.- To obviate the necessity of entirely removing the tire chain attachment and to permit the necessary repairs to be made with the device remaining on the wheel, my improved tool has been designed, and it Will be manifest from the above description that, in the use of the tool, new tread chains may be easily and quickly applied or the partly opened hooked terminals of the tread chains easily closed and again securely connected to the side chains.

The invention is exceedingly simple in its construction, may be easily manipulated and is highly convenient and serviceable in practical use.

lVhile I have shown and described the preferred construction and arrangement of the several parts, it is to be understood that the device is susceptible of considerable modification therein and I therefore, reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. 4 Having thus fully described my invention, What I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. A tool of the character described including jaws pivotally connected together at one of their endsfor relative movement, each of said jaws having a wedge-shaped finger integrally formed therewith, said fingers being spaced from the corresponding side faces of the jaws, one of said fingers having its outer face beveled and the other of the fingers having its inner face opposed to the side face of the jaw and beveled in parallel relation to the beveled face of the first finger.

2. A tool of the character described including aws pivotally connected together at one of their ends, one of said jaws being provided in its other end with concave gripping edges for engagement upon the parallel portions of a double-hook link, said gripping edges being disposed in parallel relation to the pivot and the other of the jaws having channels formed therein to proyicje seats to receive the hook bills of the in r.

3. A tool of the character described ineluding intersecting pivotally connected handle members having opposed jaws on one of their ends, one of said jaws being provided upon its inner face and at its outer end with notches having transverse grip ping edges to engage the parallel portions of a chain link and-the other of said jaws having channels formed therein to receive hooked terminals on the link, and a laterally ofi'set finger formed upon one side of one jaw and projecting toward the other jaw and adapted for engagement through the link.

cluding intersecting pivotally connected in ndle members having opposed jaws on ore of their ends, one of said jaws being provided upon its inner face and at its outer end with notches to receive the parallel portions of a chain link and the other of said jaws having channels'formed therein to receive hooked terminals on the link, and a laterally offset finger formed upon one side of one jaw and projecting toward the other -jaw and adapted for engagement through 4. A tool of the character described inthe link, said jaws being provided on their inner faces and intermediate of their ends with opposed flanges to engage the hooked terminals of the chain link.

5. A repairing tool for anti-skidding tire chains including pivotally connected, relatively movable jaws, one of said jaws being formed with an inwardly projecting end portion having gripping edges for engagement upon the parallel portions of the hooked ends of a link, the opposed face of the other jaw having channels formed therein to receive the hook bills, the inner opposed faces of the jaws being provided with stop abutments for engagement by the hooks to prevent longitudinal movement of the same between the jaws when the latter are closed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. FERGUSOBL "Witnesses:

S. P. RHODES, S. STAMAN. 

